ATKINS -- The Atkins City Council voted unanimously to offer a bid of $39,000 for property next to the Atkins Civic Center during a special-called meeting Monday night.

"I feel like it's high (price-wise) on one hand, and I feel like we ought to buy it on the other hand," Mayor Jerry Don Barret told aldermen. "If we don't buy it now, we may not ever have a chance to buy it again."

The property, located at 104 Ave. 2 NW in Atkins, currently has an older, wood-sided home on the 110- by-150 lot the city wants to turn into a parking area. The corner lot has U.S. Highway 64 frontage and would offer the city an alternative entrance off Avenue two, aldermen said.

Street Supervisor Alfred Berry estimated about 50 parked cars would fill the lot, with possibly more space available by extending past the current chain-link fence to the highway.

Overall, between 75 and 80 parking spaces would be made available for parking at the civic center.

"This would give us a little more space," Alderman Kenneth Ehemann said.

Property values in the area had been creeping up, Barret said. Another house in the area had been appraised for about $69,000 and the property the city wants to purchase was appraised for about $45,000, the owner told the city.

The property already had a bid of $38,000 when the city became interested in buying it, but the owner said she would accept the best offer, Barret said. She also told the city she would not accept another bid for less than $1,000 more than her first buyer.

The owner was not at the council meeting Monday.

The city will also be responsible for more than $400 in closing costs, plus the costs of a survey.

The house will have to be moved or razed, Barret said, noting the neighboring property owners seemed happy the city is interested in purchasing the lot.

"If we buy it, I recommend we take bids on moving it," the mayor said.

If no one offers to move or salvage the house the city will raze the house like the two other houses that were torn down on Main Street.

Alderman JoAnn Spence made the motion to purchase the property, and the motion passed unanimously with all members present.